1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to the replaceable personal computer (PC) battery which supplies electrical power to memory containing critical PC system configuration information. This battery also supplies power for the PC's real time clock and possible other circuitry.
2. Description of Prior Art
Many personal computers contain and depend upon an internal non-rechargeable battery. So long as the battery is good, system configuration information is retained when the computer is turned off. Moreover, when the computer is turned on, it accesses its own configuration via this battery powered memory.
Typically, these non-rechargeable batteries last from one to five years before they become inoperative. When a PC battery fails, the PC cannot operate correctly when it is turned on. This is because all critical information in memory which had been powered by the battery has also been lost.
Several brands of these replacement batteries are available at PC supply stores. In most cases, the battery comes equipped with the appropriate output electrical connector which fastens onto the PC motherboard to provide power for this special memory.
Through the output connector, power is furnished to the battery powered memory which contains critical system configuration information which personalizes a particular personal computer (PC). When the battery has failed, this information is lost. Moreover, the real time clock has also failed.
The user of a personal computer containing a replaceable battery is on a battery replacement cycle. Additionally, the user must also replace the lost information when the PC battery dies. This means that the user is also on an information replacement cycle including the resetting of the clock.
Disadvantages of the replaceable PC battery include:
(a) The battery is eventually drained to an inoperative state.
(b) The system configuration information in battery powered memory is lost when the battery fails.
(c) The real time clock fails with an inoperative battery.
(d) The user of a PC containing a replaceable battery is at the mercy of single random event. At some future place and time, the PC battery is most certainly going to fail. The user has no control of when this will happen. Normally, the computer will fail during power up. However, if the battery is marginal, the PC could conceivably start up with erroneous information due to partial memory failure or PC clock failure. In turn, this could cause the computer to fail when running some critical task. Certainly, a PC is rendered useless until its battery has been replaced and its information and clock has been restored.
(e) In order to resume the previous working state of a PC with a spent battery, the user must perform the following replacement cycle:
(1) purchase and take delivery on a new PC battery, PA1 (2) power off, unplug, open PC to expose the dead battery, PA1 (3) remove and properly dispose of dead battery, PA1 (4) install new battery, close PC, plug and power on, PA1 (5) locate and retrieve system configuration information, and PA1 (6) Establish procedure and replace the lost information. PA1 (1) purchase and take delivery on a new PC battery, PA1 (2) power off, unplug, open PC to expose the dead battery, PA1 (3) remove and properly dispose of dead battery, PA1 (4) install new battery, close PC, plug and power on, PA1 (5) locate and retrieve system configuration information, and PA1 (6) Establish procedure and replace the lost information.